Views #202 | Low Intermediate 4

Chicago

Anna talks about her city.
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Todd: Hello! What's your name please?

Anna: My names's Anna.

Todd: Anna. OK, Anna and where are you from?

Anna: I'm from a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Todd: Oh, Chicago. Wow, what's Chicago like?

Anna: It's very windy and flat, but there's a lot to do there. We have a lot of sports teams, things to do in the summer, lots of festivals, so...

Todd: Uh-huh, like what kind of festivals?

Anna: We have a taste of Chicago festival, every summer, every year, and it's down in Grant Park, and all the food vendors, all the major restaurants in Chicago set up a food booth and you can buy, taste all kinds of food around the world.

Todd: Wow, that sounds pretty good. Ah, what kind of food do you like? What's your favorite kind of food?

Anna: My favorite kind of food is Mexican food.

Todd: Oh, yeah! And what dish in particular do you like?

Anna: Let me think. I like all Mexican food but I really like, like a stuffed pavlano pepper's very good.

Todd: Oh, really! Stuffed Pavlano pepper!

Anna: You stuff it with cheese or they can put meat inside of it. It's good.

Todd: Can you make it?

Anna: No! I can not make it. I can make tacos, but that's about it.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

suburb

I'm from a suburb of Chicago.

The 'suburbs' are the areas around the edge of a city.  There is usually less traffic, bigger houses and more space. Notice the following:

  1. They moved to the suburbs after they had children.
  2. He grew up in a suburb of Houston.

festival or down in

We have the Chicago festival every summer down in Grant Park.

A 'festival' is a big party or celebration and is usually outside. We use the phrase 'down in' to refer to a location that is south of where we are. Notice the following:

  1. I try to go to at least one music festival every summer
  2. She lives down in Florida now.

food vendors or food booth

Food vendors and major restaurants set up food booths.

A 'food vendor' is a person who sells food from a small food stand or booth outside.  These 'food booths' are not normal restaurants,usually sell only a few different things and have plastic tables or chairs to eat at. Notice the following:

  1. My family works as food vendors at the fair.
  2. That food booth over there is my favorite.

stuffed

Stuffed Paviano pepper is very good.

If you 'stuff' a pepper you put cheese or meat inside of it.  Any sort of vegetable, pasta or bread that has something inside of it is stuffed. Notice the following:

  1. The pasta is stuffed with mushrooms.
  2. This bread is stuffed with cheese.

that's about it

I can make tacos, but that's about it.

We use the phrase 'that's about it' to mean 'that's all.' We use this to add emphasis to our statement. Notice the following:

  1. He goes to work and the gym and that's about it.
  2. We have milk or water to drink, but that's about it.

Vocabulary Quiz

suburb • festival • down in
food vendor • food booth • stuffed • about it
  1. The chicken is with cheese and spinach.
  2. It is hard work to be a , but you meet a lot of interesting people.
  3. Life in the is boring, but good for a family.
  4. There is some mustard and yogurt in the refrigerator and that's .
  5. Every year they have a to celebrate German tradition.
  6. Our sells hamburgers and french fries.
  7. We are opening a new store Chicago next year.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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